The invention relates to methods and systems for unlocking and/or opening at least one openable member such as a door of a motor vehicle.
An automotive vehicle with automated sliding doors on opposite sides of the vehicle typically must have two buttons on a key fob transmitter to control each sliding door independently. This makes such a fob as well as the rest of the keyless entry system more costly and complex.
The to Garnault, U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,769, discloses a hands-free system for unlocking and/or opening a trunk and/or door of a motor vehicle. The system includes a transmitter/receiver and a transponder which communicate with one another only when the transponder is located in the immediate vicinity of an antenna of the system to unlock and/or open its door.
The to Waraksa, U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,036, discloses a passive keyless entry system to unlock a vehicle as the operator approaches the vehicle. The system includes a portable beacon that is carried by the operator and a receiver/controller located in the vehicle.
The to Abita et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,082, discloses a passive alarm system for visually impaired individuals.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for unlocking and/or opening at least one openable member of a motor vehicle using a passive ability of the system to detect which door of the vehicle to open.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for unlocking and/or opening at least one openable member of a motor vehicle wherein only a single manually operable switch or button need be provided on a key fob transmitter unit to control each door of the vehicle independently.
In carrying out the above objects and other objects of the present invention, a method is provided for unlocking and/or opening at least one openable member of a motor vehicle. The method includes receiving a coded signal to unlock or open at least one openable member of the motor vehicle, sensing an approach of a user of the vehicle or object carried by the user in the immediate vicinity of the at least one openable member to obtain a proximity signal, and processing the proximity signal and the received coded signal to obtain a control signal to unlock and/or open the at least one openable member.
Preferably, the at least one openable member is an automated sliding door.
Further in carrying out the above objects and other objects of the present invention, a keyless entry system for unlocking and/or opening at least one openable member of a motor vehicle is provided. The system includes a key fob transmitter unit including a single manually operable switch capable of transmitting a coded signal to unlock and/or open at least one openable member of the motor vehicle. The system further includes a receiver module responsive to the coded signal for providing a receiver signal in response to the coded signal and a plurality of sensors. Each of the sensors is positioned at a different openable member of the vehicle for sensing an approach of a user of the vehicle or an object carried by the user in the immediate vicinity of its openable member and to provide a corresponding proximity signal in response thereto. The system also includes a controller for processing the receiver and proximity signals to obtain a control signal to unlock and/or open the at least one openable member.
The sensors are typically passive sensors and may be Doppler radar sensors for sensing movement of a user adjacent their respective openable members.
Each of the sensors may be an interrogator for interrogating at least one transponder carried by the user located in its immediate vicinity.
The sensors may also be photosensors.
The manually-openable switch is typically a pushbutton switch.